Caleb Dobie: “The best thing about modeling; you get to meet loads of cool creative people but a hell of a lot of them are fake as well”

08 ago, 2016

I’m 28. I’m from south London, lived here all my life, been modeling for like 4/5 years on and off been a bit of a journey man and struggled to stay with one agency.

My personal interests are spending time with the dogs and athletics. I love running; it’s the best way to keep in shape I find personally. Also playing and watching football, I love modern art and plants as well.

Modeling: how did all begin

I decided to become a model when I was like 22, kinda late most models come in at 15/16 I was old compared to most. I always remember the first agency I ever went to; they said ‘no you’re too street you’ll never work in this industry’.

I’ll be honest; it put a chip on my shoulder towards the industry then I decided to prove these people wrong, I went back a year later and they took me after a couple tests shoots I was able to prove my ability.

The best thing about modeling; you get to meet loads of cool creative people but a hell of a lot of them are fake as well, so you gotta be careful.

I managed to save my modeling money and put it towards a mortgage on a flat so I can’t complain.. I’ve never shot a major campaign.

I personally think I’ve been robbed of a couple campaigns I’ve been considered for, but there’s nothing I can do, its not about how good a model is, it’s politics, it’s how you play the game, that’s the absolute truth about the industry.

I’ve shot with some of the so called best models and photographers in the world and held my own, even out shone some of these models yet I see them all over campaigns and I’m still banging out the editorials.

Posiing to photographers

I just turn up on time, there ain’t really any preparation. I see some guys jumping on the floor doing push ups and stuff. I’m like look at this idiot.

Funny story, let me think.. I was one time shooting for some designer and she asked me to remove all the hair on my chest with one of them women’s razors with no shaving cream, and a min or 2 to do it before the car come to pick us up. I ended up cutting my nipple with blood all over the place. It was a madness but still done job.

The catwaks experiences

I’ve never done runway, people say I’m a personality not a coat hanger. To an extent it’s true, I’m not tall enough to walk for some designers and the only people that book me want my look and personality. There’s a lot of models pretending to be like me but they ain’t me. I’ve done a few presentations for designers over fashion weeks but that’s because of my look.

Male models x Female models

For sure women still rule the industry. Look at some of them, they’re stunning. With men there’s too many that are capable of being big but with the women there’s that elite few that everyone loves.

To be honest I rate hardly any male models, only a handful – they know who they are. I hear stories about these massive male models all the time, your house hold names that everyone follows on insta – that they’ve done things to get to where they are… Let’s be honest, most casting directors are gay, so if you flirt with them or push them boundaries and he’s attracted to you, you’ll book the job ahead of someone like me. a straight taking normal real guy that says how it is.

This is what I mean by playing the game.. People say please the client even if it means being fake.

Caleb, a fashionista?

Yeah I guess so, I take pride in my appearance, when not modelling I’m casual a pair of joggers and jumper.

Imagine u a famous model surrounded by a huge crowd!

I would embrace that shit and start lapping it up. I’m a show man,a crowd pleaser I always have been a class clown.

On show business

It’s fake.

Music and Underwear

Has to be G-Eazy, a white rapper from America probably the biggest one since Eminem. He’s a cool guy, I’ve met him and his lyrics talk about real stuff… For me I don’t rate you unless ya real.

My fav underwear has to be Calvin Klein all day, every day nothing else.

Fav booking so far and why

This has to be the first ever editorial I shot, it was a Vivienne Westwood feature. At the time I was unsigned, I got street casted for a magazine, I knew if I killed it I would get attention so that’s what I did and yep it proved a lot of people wrong and still today people say about the pictures it was like 5 years ago. My mum has them framed on her wall.

Nickname in school: my nick name is school was either my surname ‘Dobie’ or Ronaldo because I had curly hair and blond highlights like Cristiano Ronaldo. so people used to say I reminded them of him unfortunately I wasn’t as good.

An unforgettable moment:

There’s many but I can’t talk about them I’d get in trouble. One that ain’t that bad is I was shooting for vogue few years back and they made me wait ages before being shot. I didn’t realise that’s what happens in the industry, I was going mad at my agency saying what’s going on no ones telling me anything saying fuck vogue I’m going home, then looked round and the editor of the magazine’s standing behind me hahahaha.

I didn’t make it into that issue, I don’t know if that was the reason.. People think I’m crazy maybe I am but shit I’ve got enough stories to write a book.

Yourself in 10 years

Not modelling that’s for sure I´ll be 38. I’m coming towards the end. I´m a realist I ain’t got much time left and I’ve pissed off so many people by saying how it is.

People say they don’t know anyone who’s pissed off more people than me. Designers, casting directors, bookers, agencies, stylists it’s endless. I’m a nice guy till you try talk down to me like I’m some idiot then that’s when we have a problem.

Next Chapters

I got a few things in the pipe line that would be telling I’m always up to something, people keep asking me to write a book.

Motto

If your looks good enough your tall enough all this bullshit about models have to be a certain height. It’s rubbish the industries changing 5 years ago. there was only like a hand full of us under 6 ft as male models in London now there’s loads.